Wedge fastening



Jan. 18, 1944. A R. E MAXEY 2,339,502

WEDGE FASTENING Filed F'eb. 23, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 'l J2 Mazzi? 'l INVENToR.

Patented Jan. 18, 1944 unireosrares einem orrlcr.N

WEDGE FASTENING Robert E. Lee Maxey, Akron, Ohio Application February 23, 1942, Serial No. 432,079

l Claim.

This invention `aims to provide a simple but ecective means whereby a railroad rail can be fastened to the bridge of a railroad tie rapidly and securely.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope o1 what is claimed, without departing from the spiritof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l shows in elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being in section;

Fig. 2 is a top plan;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the rail grip;

Fig. l is a perspective View of the wedge which cooperates with the rail grip;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section showing a modication, parts remaining in elevation;

Fig. 6 is a topplan showing the modifi-cation.

In Figs. 1 to 4, the letter T marks a metal railroad tie, on which is superposed a bridge or rail support B, including a tcp plate I, depending anges 2, and outwardiy extended feet 3, the feet being secured to the tie T, along their inner and outer portions, by welding indicated at il.

The bridge B, and, more specifically, the top plate I thereof, is supplied with -parallel ribs 5 and 5, the rib 6 affording a vertical shoulder l, and the rib 5 affording a vertical shoulder 9. The rib 5 is supplied with a wing 8, overhanging the shoulderl 9, throughout the entire width of the bridge. A substitution for the wing 8 may be made, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The parts t, 9, i and 'I ,fform a seat IB Ifor the reception of the flange i I of a railroad rail R.

In the rib ii is formed an opening I2, the inner edge of which is vertical. The outer edge of the opening i2 has a downward and inward slant, shown at ifi.

The letter G marks a rail grip, including a stock I5, having a fixed upper jaw I6 and a xed lower jaw il the jaws being disposed in laterally outstanding relation with respect to the stock. The lower jaw il is somewhat shorter than the upper jaw I5 and can be slid downwardly through the opening I2 in the rib 6 of the bridge B. The

(Cl. 23S-353) upper surface of the lower jaw I1 forms a right angle with respect to the inner surface of the stock I5 and cooperates with the lower surface of the top plate I of the bridge B. The undersurface of the upper jaw I6 has a downward and outward slant, to corerspond with the slant of the rail flange II, the upper jaw being long enough to get a good overh-anging hold on the flange II of the rail R.

On its side remote from the jaws I1 and I 6, `the stock I5 is supplied with an outstanding transverse rib I8 which is rounded transversely. The projection or rib I8 is provided with a downwardly and outwardly sloping upper` surface which begins at the lower end of the opening I2. The rib I8 is so located that when the rail grip G is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the rib I8 will be immediately below one edge of the opening I2 in the part 6 of the bridge B. Near its upper end, and on the surface above the rib I8, the stock I5 of the grip G is supplied with transverse vteeth I 9.

The letter W marks a wedge, provided on one side with transverse teeth 20 adapted to cooperate with the teeth I9 of the rail grip G. The wedge W has oppositely disposed, downwardly converging upper surfaces 2| and 22, the surface 22 being adapted to cooperate with the slant surface I4 of the opening I2 in the bridge B. The wedge W has downwardly converging lower surfaces 23 and 24, and the convergence of these surfaces is more pronounced than is the convergence of the surfaces 2I and 22, The result is that the lower portion of the wedge W is weakened enough to form a bendable portion deflected by engagement with the upper surface of the projection i 8, when the wedge is advanced, the wedge being flexed in contact with the support, at the lower end of the opening, to extend beneath the support, and to form a free end spaced from the support, the space between the free end and the lower surface of the support being open, the teeth 20 of the wedge W interlocking with the teeth I9 of the grip G. The wedge W is supplied at its upper end with a laterally projecting head 25, affording a place upon which blows may be struck, to seat the wedge, the head constituting, also, an element under which a bar or the like may be placed, to pry the wedge upwardly from the position of Fig. l.

In Figs. 5 and 6, characters hereinbefore employed are used, with the suffix a. The wing 8 is omitted, its place being taken by a duplication of the rail grip and Wedge structure shown at the right hand side of the rail in Fig, 1.

In either of its forms, the device is simple in construction, but will be found thoroughly advantageous for the ends in view.

What is claimed is:

A railroad tie comprising a support provided with elements which dene a rail seat, the support having an opening, a rail grip comprising a stock disposed in the opening, the stock i11- cluding an upper transverse jaw overhanging the seat and a lower transverse jaw engaged beneath the support, the stock having an outstanding projection provided with a downward and outwardly sloping upper surfaces which begins at the,V lower end of the opening; and a Wedge disposed in the opening and engaged oppositelywith the stock and with the support, the wedge being tapered at its lower end, to form a bendable portion deected by engagement with the upper surfaces of the projection, when the Wedge is advanced, the wedge being flexed in contact with the support, at the lower end of the opening, to extend beneath the support, and to form a free end spaced from the support, the space between the free end and the lower surface of the support being open, the Wedge and the stock being provided with teeth which interengage to hold the wedge advanced, the projection being of approximately semi-circular vertical cross section, to cause said upper surface to present a convexity to the advancing wedge.

ROBERT E. LEE MAXEY. 

